Buck Rogers in the 26th Century Episode 220x "The Planet of Wonders" Written by: Erin Weinstock I don't hold any of the copyrights in this story, and this story was made without profit. Teaser: ext: Space / Asteroid Belt: The camera is moving in on a rather large asteroid slowly. As the camera moves in further and further for better detail we begin to catch sight of a transmitter with a red light blinking, telling us it's fully active. The camera then swiftly pans over to another asteroid further up from the last one. Focusing and moving in we can see another transmitter coming into full view, its red light quickly blinking away with the use of its internal activity. This asteroid is a notch further into the inner solar system. Another and yet another swift set of actions as the camera pans in move. It moves from asteroid to asteroid, almost bounding along like a rabbit, focusing on each transmitter it comes across. Each transmitter is in full use, blinking away, each asteroid bringing us further and further away from outer space into inner space. High above Mars and then bounding towards the Moon, high above Galileo City, the camera continues to pan on wards towards Earth. Cut to: ext: Defense Directorate: It's night time and with the sound of papers being rustled through the scene the camera cuts to: int: Huer's Office: With a very tired look on his face Huer is reviewing a pile of paper work before him. Theopolis: "Unit 890 has arrived with your coffee. Shall I -?" Huer (in a lazy tone of voice but still with the sound of business): "Go right a - head Doctor Theopolis." Huer still reviewing his papers, quickly takes notice of a Crichton series ambuquad that presents one of its clawed hands to him, holding a cup of coffee lightly steaming. Taking the coffee from the Crichton series ambuquad, Unit 890, Huer: "Thank you, you may go now," he says lightly smiling and then taking a sip of his freshly obtained brew. Then Huer sets down his cup of coffee beside his pile of papers and continues reviewing them. Something doesn't look quite right with one of the papers and out from his desk he pulls out a device that looks to be a pencil with a two way switch located near to its eraser end. Flipping the switch so it's pressed in towards the eraser end, he proceeds to move the device over the page in a line, erasing the contents unseen to us on its other side as the device hums with the action. He clicks the device's switch into the opposite direction last used, and not even touching the page, proceeds to write a new statement into where he just made the blank. Theopolis: "Doctor Huer, I have an incoming transmission for you." Huer, still writing but now finishing up: "From who?" Theopolis: "The source cannot be identified." Looking up from his papers, Huer: "Code U01?" Theopolis: "This is not a Code U01. Distress arguments were not detected in the signal." Putting down his papers, taking a drink from his cup of coffee and pressing deeply into his chair, Huer: "A mystery at 3:50 am, patch it through, Doctor Theopolis." A beat as Huer waits. Blaring in voice and startling Huer, V.O. Husker Dimound: "Doctor Elias Huer -!" Cutting in fast as Huer's attention is jolted into being fully alert, Huer: "End transmission! End transmission! End transmission!" Theopolis: "I cannot comply with that request, Doctor Huer. This time Mr. Husker Dimound has implanted sub-coding into the transmission that is preventing disconnect from being made possible by my interference. Perhaps if you were to request a technician..." Huer: "Thomas now!" Husker Dimound: "I will not be ignored this time, Huer! You will listen to what I have to say before you cut me off again!" Getting up from his chair quickly, Huer: "I'll listen, I'll listen, OK?" Husker Dimound: "Good, because I have tried to talk with every other Federal Directorate that should take an interest in this case!" Huer moves over to a panel that has been painted over near to Theopolis's face panel. Huer: "Oh, I'm sure it is a quite intriguing case, Mr. Dimound. Do tell." With one show of great force, Huer rips open the panel door. Theopolis: "Doctor Huer, I wouldn't advise that. Thomas will be here soon, I have been monitoring him since your request. He will be here within the estimated time of six minutes." Husker Dimound: "I lost 13 tons of mix, copper, forgin-70, zoxer, silver and archer's mudd! They're mining again! They're stealing right out of my backyard again!" Working with wires inside the panel he has ripped open, Huer (slowly but with a sound of determination): "Sure they are [beat] and who are they?" Husker Dimound: "Those aliens! Those unseen, invisible aliens, it's them again!" Huer pauses in his fiddling with the wires and closing his eyes in a show of stress. Huer to himself: "Oh God." The wires spark and Huer's hands bolt from the panel's wires in shock as the pain jumps his eyes open again. Theopolis: "That attempt was not successful." Huer (groaning): "I know." Pre-Credits: End of teaser: Beginning of Act one: ext: Defense Directorate: It's morning and as such, local ships and shuttles are turning off their lights with the signs of the sun peeking into view. V.O. Wilma: "Why us, Major?" Cut to: int: Major Dantin's Office: Dantin's office has the same furnishings as Huer's office for business except his has a few photographs of people hanging from one wall, supposedly his family. Also his office isn't faced in the same direction as Huer's, an example to this being his desk and chair are facing a window that gives a stunning view on the cityscape of a waking up New Chicago. Currently he's laid back in his chair in a tired but friendly mood, looking at Wilma who's standing across from him, hair slightly messed but in full uniform. Dantin: "Because this will NEVER end till someone or ones of high status with the Defense Directorate take care of the quote [beat] unquote situation." Wilma: "You didn't have to sent Lt. Jade to retrieve Buck, you know. He is quite capable of responding to orders given on quick demand." Dantin: "When I witness that, Colonel Deering I'll believe it but in the mean time your, humph great Captain Rogers is LATE." Cut to: int: Hallway: We're in the hallway, only a few feet from the door labeled as being Major Dantin's Office. The camera at this moment is focused on Buck and Jade, as it follows the two of them moving towards the door, speaking in hushed tones. Buck is holding an oversized mug filled with tea, still in brewing as we can see the teabag's tail hanging over one edge of the cup. Jade: "He's going to kill you." Buck: "Oh he wants to kill me on most days, this for once will just give him a reason. [beat] Thank you by the way for showing me where to find this." Jade: "No problem, I'm rather surprised you didn't know yourself where to locate this in the archives." The two men are now outside of Dantin's Office. Buck: "Some areas of the archives I can navigate blindfolded, others -" Jade: "You should stop smiling if you expect this to work." Just before pressing his hand to the access panel to Dantin's Office, Buck quickly drops his grin. Cut to: int: Major Dantin's Office: Wilma turns to see Buck and Jade enter the room as Dantin takes on a smile too warm for the moment. Dantin: "Captain Rogers, it's so good to see you've finally made it here." Turning to Jade, Cont: "Lt. Jade, thank you so much for bringing him in here why with it being such an early hour of the morning." Jade: "Thank you sir but I think I should tell you when I found the Captain in his quarters he was -" Buck, extending out one hand, the one holding the oversized mug towards Dantin: "Making you something to wake up to Major." Dantin eyeing the mug: "What is it?" Buck: "Black tea, it will wake you up." Dantin gingerly takes the mug from Buck and sniffs it before bringing it in closer to drink from it. As Dantin presses his lips to the mug the camera cuts to being focused on the interior of the mug at its surface. A spring loaded plastic alien pops up from the tea to greet Dantin, with yellow eyes and cartoon style fangs, a "jack-in-box mug". The camera cuts back to see Dantin with a lifted eyebrow, staring at the mug with its little toy surprise staring back at him. Dantin: "Captain, I do not find things like this -" Dantin sets the mug down on his desk, off to one side. Cont: "Surprising or amusing." Looking to Jade, Cont: "Lt. Jade, you're dismissed." As Jade is leaving the room, and addressing both Buck and Wilma with a look to each of them, Cont: "HAVE either of you ever heard of "mysterious stealing" taking place in the asteroid belt local to the immediate solar system we happen to live in?" Wilma: "No sir." Dantin: "Captain?" Buck: "No sir." Dantin: "Colonel Deering has already been apprised of what the situation is lightly, but I want the both of you to have a firmer idea over what you're stepping into before you visit the Dimound estate." Looking to Buck, Cont: "No comment?" Buck: "Why would I have one to make?" Making a little noise to himself before stating, Dantin: "Mr. Dimound believes invisible aliens are stealing his land. His land being an asteroid named 36-TOG which he lovingly refers to as "Chichi"." Buck glances over to Wilma to see if she's giving a reaction to this. Cont: "This man has been bothering not only the Defense Directorate but the other Federal Directorates of Earth as well. Anyone he thinks will listen to his case. [beat] His case of which all of us who have heard it are sure it's a load of Alarrian Cattle waste." Dantin gets up from his chair and slowly moving over towards Buck, Cont: "To quiet this man down, which is mainly at the request of the good Doctor Huer due to Mr. Dimound disturbing him at close to 4 am this morning." Putting one hand one the nearest shoulder to him of Buck, Cont: "You two are going to have a look-see around 36-TOG and then ensure Mr. Dimound that in the judgment of this Directorate's finest, he really has lost his marbles by believing in invisible aliens stealing his precious land that we can find no proof of." Cut to: ext: Space / Asteroid Belt: Approaching 36-TOG or Chichi is a Z-87 carrying Buck and Wilma. 36-TOG is not terribly impressive in size but in shape very interesting to look at with cliffs and indents of rock in various shades of browns and reds. V.O. Buck: "This is Yogurt's sense of humor right?" V.O. Wilma: "Buck, think of it more being as a way to ensure Doctor Huer gets a good night's sleep for once." V.O. Buck: "At least one person benefits from this mission then." Cut to: ext: 36-TOG or Chichi's Landing Pad: The camera is on Husker Dimound, a middle-aged man that looks like he could bench 300, dressed in informal clothes that look like they're for lying around in and a hairline receding by a couple inches. Behind him a very suburban looking house stands carved out to a degree from the rock of the asteroid. Plastic green flamingos and mirror glass balls adorn the rocky floor that lead in towards this dwelling. Husker Dimound, placing his hands behind his back, grinning as broadly as he can, looking outwards towards the Z-87 which carried Buck and Wilma here, which we can't see from this viewpoint: "Finally results!" The camera cuts on to Buck and Wilma with the Z-87. Wilma is already out and headed towards Husker Dimound while Buck is only partially out of the Z-87 which from where he is in it we can tell he had its backseat. Buck is taking in the sights around him, this not only being Husker Dimound's home but also being the landing pad which is covered in lines of glowing neon lights that are underneath thick glass, these lines having what looks like no rhyme or reason to their layout. Wilma, in a rather professional manner with a hand outreached to greet Husker Dimound: "After your call was finally relayed to the correct personnel at the Defense Directorate, they decided to send only the best out to investigate this matter of high theft. My name is Colonel Wilma Deering and -" Pointing a thumb backwards towards Buck, Cont: "My partner is Captain Buck Rogers." Husker Dimound: "A Colonel and a Captain, I really am impressed although I must ask." Looking at Buck and taking a few steps towards him, Cont: "Is there something wrong, Captain?" It should be noted at this point Buck has now made his way out of the Z-87 but is still looking around. Buck, after a moment turning his attention on Husker Dimound: "Not at all Mr. Husker, this is my first time visiting Zen Colony, in fact this I might also add is my first time visiting a modernized asteroid, [beat] people living on it. [beat] Nothing like what I expected, forgive me but I don't see where any damage was inflicted." Taking what could be perceived as an insult in the lightest possible manner, Husker Dimound: "The damage they have done has been to my backyard. [beat] You know along with the minerals these aliens have been harvesting that comprise what IS my home, these aliens once took a prize winning Falet-ti-om. Now while the asteroid might be irreplaceable could your Directorate replace my blue ribbon with a spout I could grow into a new one?" Wilma: "Excuse me?" Husker Dimound: "My Falet-ti-om; what, you know nothing about plants native to the Simalfa Galaxy?" Wilma: "It's never been an area of interest to me." Husker Dimound: "Well now I want the both of you to take an interest in me and what I have to say and show you." Cut to: ext: 36-TOG / Dimound's Backyard: Besides our trio we see nothing but the rock of the asteroid and stars beyond it in the blackness of space. Buck looking down and past them: "It looks like a strip mine is in use here." Husker Dimound: "So you've seen this sort of thing before, so you know I'm not crazy." Buck, turning to Husker Dimound: "I have, but over 500 years ago; it's illegal now." Motioning towards the area where the rock has been stripped away, Husker Dimound: "Aliens, it's aliens." Wilma patting Husker Dimound on one shoulder: "We'll check it out." The camera cuts to a view point showing Buck and Wilma heading down into the mine by a narrow path. Buck (softly so only Wilma can hear him): "What do you think?" Wilma (in the same tone as Buck): "I don't think the aliens are invisible, I think they're hitting this place while the man is sleeping." A yellow glow takes over the scene and our heroes begin to look around for its source. The camera cuts back so we see a wide shot of the scene showing Buck and Wilma down in the mine that is surrounded by a stout looking, large cylinder of the yellow light we saw a moment ago in glow. Husker Dimound is still where he was last seen. Husker Dimound: "You see it's them, they're here! They're going to take more of my land! You see I'm not crazy!" Then the camera cuts in close on Buck and Wilma as they look into each other's eyes. Husker Dimound is whooping in excitement as the camera back to its wide angle perspective notes the disappearance of not only a layer of rock from the mine but also Buck and Wilma as the yellow glow snaps out of sight. Cont: "I told you! I told you! THAT'S PROOF!" End of Act One: Beginning of Act Two: ext: Processing Center: The camera being Buck's POV, pans around at the scenery before him before laying eye on Wilma who while she looks to be taking everything in stride, is concerned for the sudden change of location. The sight Buck takes in before looking at her is a metal cage with an open top, lights dotting the tips of the enclosure. A robot of which its mass is an arm that ends in a laser cutting point, is staring down at the enclosure, scanning the rocky mess that was pulled in with the two of them. Black objects flicker in and out of sight fixed in a purplish fog hovering around them, added to the sight of two moons hanging high overhead. The camera cuts off Buck's POV to show Buck and Wilma standing together in an embrace. Wilma glancing off to one side: "I don't recognize this place, Buck. He was right." Buck: "But I doubt them invisible too." The robot fires a shot a few feet from them blasting, breaking up the rock into its different minerals, the yellow glow firing up out from the blast zone consuming and dissolving the rock into nothingness. Cont: "This isn't good." The robot repeats its previous action over and over, at random choosing rocks to shoot at, the yellow glow continuing to consume and dissolve the rock into nothingness. In quick action, Buck and Wilma are now trying to make their way out of the cage. The cage, it should be noted, gives ample room for one to move oneself through the bars as we can tell it was never meant to hold people captive. Wilma: "We have to get out of here now!" Buck: "Couldn't agree with you more!" They make their way to the edge of the cage wall which in design is circular. Scampering to make their way out with the ever collapsing broken rock beneath their feet as the cutting robot works away at its automated duty, Buck helps Wilma through the cage to a cement barrier which is a ring of 10 or so feet pushing upwards to greet the cage. And then just as Buck is about to fully greet his freedom from the cage with Wilma's aid in pulling him out of it, the robot's laser snags a shot, hitting his left foot's heel, the yellow glow quickly consuming the hit area and leaving Buck with a chuck of missing flesh. His eyes go wide in reaction to this and while he is making noises of pain and shock, Wilma giving him a good pull from underneath his arms, gets him out of the cage into being with her on the barrier. Buck looking back towards to place they just escaped from: "Son of a-!" Wilma: "Let me see your heel." Looking to Wilma, Buck: "Unless you mean my right heel, I don't think there's anything left of the other." Then carefully Buck stretches out his left leg to Wilma as she positions herself to examine the foot to that leg. Turning over the foot in her lap, Wilma: "We're going to have to get you to a hospital as soon as possible." Giving another look around the two of them, Cont: "The only fault is I don't know what planet we're on so I'm not sure who to contact." Buck: "Can I walk on it?" Wilma looks down from them and the camera changes to: Wilma's POV, looking down we see the two of them are on a building that heavily curves downwards and has in random places other mounds leading up to more metal cages, tipped with their own lights and cutting robots, hovering around them, working away at breaking up massive rock piles like the one she and him just escaped from. Cutting off Wilma's POV and back to her looking down the side of the building, Wilma: "If I were to say this to anyone other than you, Buck, I'd say no. But I believe if we're careful the two of us working together could make it off this place." Buck, motioning to the purplish fog with the black flickering in and out of view mentioned earlier: "Tell me have you ever seen anything like fog-lighting-black, [beat] I have no clue." Wilma: "It must be native to this planet, come on," she states as she slides over to meet his nearest shoulder to her so she can put an arm around it. As the two of them begin to carefully descend down the side of the building in a scooting motion, Cut to: ext: Processing Center at Ground: The camera's POV is a single electronic based spectacle used for magnification. It's focusing in on Buck and Wilma, who are both now getting to their feet from scooting down the side of the building. Buck: "Come on, Wilma "Jahad" is a pretty name for a planet." Wilma, still helping Buck in walking: "Do you have any idea what that means in Saurian?" With the camera cutting to a perspective that has the two heroes walking towards it, Buck thinking this must be something rather crude and smiling: "No, tell me." One shot of blaster fire singes the earth just before Buck and Wilma. They halt their walk and Buck looking at where the blaster just shot, Cont: "Friendly natives." Together the two of them look up and see a person completely covered in dark fabric coming towards them, toting a large blaster in one hand tightly. All we can make out for this alien's appearance is shiny finger tips at the ends of his gloves. Motioning as he's talking, Buck: "We're friendly, see? No weapons." Wilma: "Colonel Wilma Deering of Earth's Defense Directorate." Buck (whispering to Wilma): "That might not have been the brightest of things to say. For all we know this planet might be in the heart of the Draconian Empire." Wilma (whispering back to Buck and fast): "Trust me this planet isn't in the Draconian Empire, wherever this planet is. And saying we're unarmed isn't too brightest of ideas either." Stranger: "This planet is allied with no one but who trades well with it." Buck: "What is the name of this planet?" Stranger: "I will have to ask my superiors if I can answer that for you." Buck: "Wonderful." The Stranger walks to being behind them all the while pointing his blaster at them. Stranger: "Walk ahead of me and never deviate from the direction you are being led in and you will meet with my superiors." As the Stranger is taking his position behind Buck and Wilma, Buck's eyes take notice of something: the golden colored finger tips of the Stranger. Biting his lip, Buck and Wilma at gunpoint start moving outwards to going past the camera. A bright flash that fills the screen quickly fades away and we enter a flashback with the screen faded into white ever so slightly. And we're back in the Outlet in Galileo City: Buck to Twiki: "Golden men?" Twiki: "They can change the physical and chemical property of inanimate objects through atomic fusion." The screen flashes again and still within the look of the flashback: Nagoris presses one of his hands on to Fox's chest. Fox: "But you can't." Nagoris: "No, I can't, but still on just a small level I can do flesh." Fox is having a hard time breathing. Buck notices this and stops his rage on Phil. Buck: "Fox!" Fox collapses to the ground as Phil and Nagoris walk away with Twiki in a tight hold. The screen flashes once more, this time ending the flashback and the camera then Cuts to: ext: Processing Center at Ground: In a wide shoot we see the full building and its surroundings better. The building looks to have been built out of massive slabs of cement that poke out from the ground like fingers closing in on each other. Some of these slabs have the barriers with cages and the cutting robots working away at breaking up the unseen rock in the pits of the cages. Other slabs have lit windows that for lack of any sort of window dressings tell us they're offices and not homes or apartments. Twisting black metallic trunks shoot up into the purple fog, connecting with smaller offshoots of what could easily be mistaken for wire but it's not. It's a tree. Lightning dances about the fog, making their black leaves flicker in and out of sight as the electricity parts the haze. Once in a while the electricity makes strikes at the building or one of its many robots hovering about it, not fazing either in the least. V.O. Director of Incoming: "How did you two Humans get here?" Cut to: int: Director of Incoming's Office: The whole room looks as if it's something that has been grown rather than constructed. The floor is comprised of large flat stones and the walls of interweaving metals of types not found on Earth. Twisting and overlapping each other, the room's center piece is a desk puffing out from the floor in pillows of stone that curve into metal, holding them together. Buttons to control unseen devices are set into the desk facing the closest wall inwards. Stones of massive size hang from the wall behind the desk, rooted in by metal cables that nest into the wall the same as the branches that weave throughout the rest of the room. Buck and Wilma, still at gunpoint by the Stranger, stand before the desk at which sits the Director of Incoming, who is garbed in the same dress as the Stranger, only his dress is speckled in sliver that shines ever so lightly out from its black. Wilma: "We were on an asteroid named 36-TOG or Chichi, when a yellow glow came over us and matter-jumped us here." Director of Incoming: "We mine the asteroid 36-TOG and others in the belt it has residence in. You should not have been on it." Buck: "People live on those asteroids, they're the Zen Colony! We were sent to 36-TOG to investigate claims of aliens stealing various metals and land from the residents, to disprove the claim but it appears the locals aren't as loony as was believed by our superiors." Director of Incoming: "Do you know the location of the planet you're standing on?" Buck: "No and not even the name of the planet we're standing on." Director of Incoming: "Good." Buck: "Why is that!" Looking to Buck, Wilma: "Buck." Buck: "I'm sorry Wilma, it must be the loss of blood to me talking." Director of Incoming: "You are injured?" Using Wilma to stay balanced, Buck tries to lift up his left foot for the Director of Incoming to see it. Buck: "One of your machines ate it!" Director of Incoming: "Your heel was not eaten, it was transported the same as you and your female friend have been." Buck settling back into a normal stand: "And just pray tell where has my missing body part been shipped off to?" Director of Incoming: "To a different processing center, one that deals with organic matter rather than inorganic matter." And silence as the Director of Incoming sits in his chair believing he has said all he needs to say to his two unexpected visitors. After a beat after Wilma as looks at Buck in seeing he looks like he could blow a fuse for lack of answers, Wilma: "And what will be done with his heel there?" Director of Incoming: "It will be compressed into carbon for inorganic processing." Quickly turning to the Stranger, Buck (infuriated): "Let me borrow that gun, I really want to use it right now!" The screen cuts to black. End of Act Two: Beginning of Act Three: int: Director of Incoming's Office: Buck is squirming against his bonds which are the thick strands of metal we noticed earlier vined throughout the office. Wilma is close by to him and the Director of Incoming is watching the two of them. The Stranger is no longer in the room. Director of Incoming: "You should not try to resist them. They will only tighten as you struggle against them." Buck: "Make a -" He's cut off in middle sentence as we notice the metal vines tighten ever so slightly around his chest and a vein of rusty copper colored metal breaks off a shoot with a barb on it, to nest at the base of Buck's neck. Wilma turning to the Director of Incoming (in anger): "That isn't necessary!" Director of Incoming: "He was behaving towards me with hostility. Aliens are not welcome here." Buck speaking against the barb pressing into his throat, trying to keep it from actually injuring him: "But you're not shy about interacting with aliens on other worlds." Director of Incoming: "I do not visit other worlds, my place is here. Now if any of my people visited other worlds it would only be in the purest interest of trade." Wilma to Buck: "You've encountered his species before, Buck?" Still speaking against the barb at his throat, Buck: "In Galileo City, one of his people turned Twiki into gold." Wilma: "I remember hearing about that." Director of Incoming: "Twiki?" Wilma to the Director of Incoming: "His ambuquad, and is it really necessary to keep him in those? He may have acted out towards you in hostility but as you can see he no longer has a weapon." Director of Incoming: "I suppose with the fact he would have more to fear from me now than I from him, his release would cause harm to no one at the moment," he says moving over to the wall nearest to Buck and gently stroking the metallic vines as they ripple and sliver up to Buck. The vines releasing Buck in a motion much like a blooming plant, Buck: "Thank you." Wilma: "You're called Golden Men." Director of Incoming: "That is the name given to us from legends into modern times but our true name is the Nui-sod. [beat] Now that you are here, unarmed, there is a location I could arrange for the two of you as a residence?" Buck rubbing his neck where the barb was touching it: "We're not planning on living here, this is just a little unexpected vacation." Director of Incoming: "You're mistaken, no aliens ever leave this planet. This is your new home." Both Buck and Wilma at the same time, Buck: "You can't do this to us, we haven't committed any crimes on this planet or to its people!" Wilma: "We're high level representatives of Earth's Defense Directorate, if we remain on this planet, the loss will be investigated and possibly with the use of fighter craft!" Buck looks to Wilma in slight shock at her statement. Director of Incoming: "The processing centers are the only places that have access to matter jumpers and then only for incoming matter. This planet's location has been hidden from every known galaxy for eons and all of its inhabitants intend on keeping it that way. Buck: "But you have ships, we know your kind does visit other planets, your interest in interacting with them being trade." Director of Incoming: "We don't use ships." Acting now like he's very curious, Buck: "[beat] Then how do you get to other planets?" Wilma: "Your kind can fashion any type of alloy or element in the universe [beat] and I'm assuming that's what you trade and why you mine asteroids and possibly planets, for their minerals. Can any of those minerals you know how to fashion have any kinetic properties, like the ones that were holding Buck a moment ago?" Director of Incoming, pleased: "You're swift. Yes, different elements can have kinetic properties and many others. The creation of warmth and cold. Fire, electricity, medicines and poisons. [beat] Stock transport." Buck: "Stock Transport? That's how you move between planets?" Director of Incoming: "Yes, but you won't hear from me or any of my associates how to gain the minerals needed for it or even what their names are for one of us to provide or fashion them for you. This planet will remain in the state of solitude it has for thousands of years. [beat] There are other aliens here and some here found life here quite comfortable." Buck: "Why so xenophobic?" Director of Incoming: "If you knew of empires and dictatorships, monarchies and republics that would kill and enslave for the want of gold, silver and many other metals considered precious, even more so than life in some cases, wouldn't you wish to be unseen except when the need arose?" Wilma: "Understandable, but we're not bad people." Director of Incoming: "Earth's history is adorned with times of greed and violence. At this moment you are at war with two great powers. How are we to know you would not sell the location of this planet to your allies for weapons to fight your wars?" Turning his back to Buck and Wilma, Cont: "Go now, leave this office before I reconsider letting it not only take hold of the Captain again but also you." Cut to: int: Apartment: This place looks to be made up of only two rooms being an area for living in with two beds and a table in it to furnish it, and the second room being a bathroom. While Wilma sits on one of the beds contemplating their situation, Buck stands at one window, looking out it through blinds. Buck: "At least the view is pretty." The camera cuts to being Buck's POV as we look out on the landscape far below them, a valley with buildings grouped together, more processing centers and other industrial looking buildings nested among the foggy trees with black limbs. V.O. Wilma: "Buck, this isn't the time to make light of our predicament." Then the camera cuts off being Buck's POV as he turns to Wilma. Buck: "I'm sorry but we've escaped worse places than this. At least here we know we can leave, it's not like we're on Throm or anything and the locals hate us." As Buck walks over to Wilma to sit with her, Wilma: "What these people are talking about sounds like magic, and I don't know about you but witchcraft is something I never studied in school." Buck: "It isn't magic Wilma, it's just another form of science. Come one, you don't think of the world around you in the same way someone like Samos would, do you?" Wilma taking to leaning against Buck: "No I don't." A knock comes at the door which grabs the attention of both of them with Wilma moving away from leaning against Buck in reaction. Buck (loudly): "Who is it?" V.O. Lodus: "Unknown." Buck to himself but loud enough that Wilma can hear him: "What is it with these people and being secretive." Wilma (softly) to Buck: "You already know." Directing his voice towards the door and walking towards it, Buck: "Well, "Unknown" are you carrying a blaster?" V.O. Lodus: "No, but I am carrying Northur and Derthous." Buck with his hand on the door knob: "And those would be?" As Lodus begins this next line in a low voice, Buck swings the door open: "The alloys needed to create Stock Transport." At seeing Buck, Lodus gasps in shock and proceeds to quickly cover up his face to being behind the dark fabric we saw on the other two Nui-sod or Golden Men. Buck taking hold of Lodus and pulling him into the room: "Too late, I know what your face looks like, Unknown." Lodus: "Please, do not take to remembering it." Wilma: "Are you a criminal?" Lodus: "No, but if you are caught with me helping you leave this world and you describe me then I will be a criminal." Buck putting his hands on both of Lodus's shoulders: "Now why would we rat on someone willing to help us out." Lodus: "If I help you will you help me?" Buck: "That depends, what is it you need help with?" Beginning to pace in the apartment, Lodus: "Except for making deals in trade, we are said to never leave this planet, but my brother left years ago. [beat] We may be cut off from -" Turning to Wilma, Cont: "Could you shut that door?" Wilma (bluntly): "Please." Lodus: "What?" Buck: "Say "please" shut the door." To Wilma, Lodus: "Please shut the door." With a scrunched up lip, Wilma does as she's asked. Lodus: "We may be cut off from many goings on in this universe but information does travel here fast." To Buck and Wilma, Cont: "You aliens work for the Defense Directorate of Earth, correct?" Wilma: "Yes, and we're always ready for action if the cause is just." Moving towards Wilma, Lodus: "If we left this planet would you help free my brother? I'm told he's being held captive on an alien world, one named Fitopass. It's your job to help those in need?" Wilma: "Of course we'll help. We would have helped you even if it weren't for want of leaving this planet. I've heard of Fitopass before, I've never been, but I've heard the planet is beautiful." Lodus takes one of Wilma's hands in his. Lodus: "Pretty or not, he is being held as a prisoner there and your help in freeing him is very appreciated." Then Lodus kisses the hand of Wilma's he's holding after unveiling a strip of fabric across his face for a moment. Buck having taken notice of the action, trying to act mature about it: "Say friend, it would be nice to know your name. I'm Buck Rogers and my associate, my GIRLFRIEND that you just kissed is named Wilma Deering." Lodus to Wilma: "You do not like being kissed by another, someone other than your Buck Rogers?" Wilma turns away, blushing, unsure what to say next as Buck: "Are you ready now?" Patting a pocket which shows little bulges in it, Lodus: "Yes." End of Act Three: Beginning of Act Four: int: Hallway: Three heavily clothed figures are making their way towards the entranceway. The one in the lead, acting more nervous than the other two is Lodus. Lodus pokes his head into the entrance quickly then just as fast returns it fully into the hallway. Buck, who is right behind him in the line of the three: "Something wrong?" Lodus: "Why would you think that?" Buck: "You just acted like someone was in there. Is it safe?" Lodus: "Of course." Lodus proceeds into the entrance to the room beyond with Buck and Wilma following exchanging glances at one another through cloth covered faces. Cut to: int: Stock Transit Room: The floor is coated with white lines that intersect in hundreds of places, some of these intersections carrying circles. The ceiling which is nothing but a dome of thick wavering glass, makes the floor and all those in the room look to be covered in water caught in a breeze, frozen. Lodus from the pocket carrying the Northur and Derthous, takes a few of the rocks out and places them on spots he picks carefully on the floor. Every spot picked, either contains a line at an intersection or a circle. The camera focuses in on a stone Lodus is placing at his feet. After that act has been done: The camera pans backwards from him so we see everyone. Cont: "Come, we must all be together." Buck and Wilma approach Lodus, who takes out yet another stone but this one of a different color than the others he's placed on the floor. He holds the stone near his chest and seems to stare off into nothingness with it. After a beat, Wilma (concerned): "Is - something wrong?" Lodus: "I've never done this before." Buck: "Now you tell us." Lodus, looking to both of them: "Do I need your help? Do you need my help." Another beat. Lodus, making sure the two rocks are perfectly lined up, the one he's holding with the one at his feet, drops the one in hand. The camera cuts to focus in on the two rocks being stuck together in the crash. The screen fuzzes as the action slows down on itself. Cut to: ext: Fitopass: In a red glow and from out of nothingness Lodus and Wilma appear outside a building with a very unpleasant look to it, one not welcome to visitors but only to hold in well what it contains. On the other hand the sky has a soft morning feel to it and plants feel it's no stranger, popping up in all sorts of colors, most of which aren't green. With the red glow gone, Wilma turns to look behind her. Staring at the building, Wilma: "The jail your brother is in I assume?" Taking a look at the building himself and then at the two of them, Lodus: "First try, and we're both in one piece." Wilma: "Let's go talk to the warden." Lodus: "If that fails?" Wilma: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Walking out of camera range now with Wilma in the lead, Lodus: "What does that mean?" Wilma: "My superiors." Cut to: ext: New Chicago / Street: Buck, dazed is standing behind a truck labeled that it's used for pest control. Through the back of the truck's Phasoft-door a man hands Buck a cage that contains a large fierce looking animal not of Earth origin. Buck in shock of the creature, drops the cage to the ground. The man inside the truck (V.O.): "Rogers, did you just drop it!" Buck: "What is eh, - and how? Where am I?" The man comes out from the truck through the same door he used to hand Buck the creature. Man: "We're on 12th street right outside building 805, our job, and what will give me my much needed vacation with the money we'll make from it." Buck, looking around: "We're on Earth, New Chicago. (beat) This isn't right." Man: "What?" Picking up the cage with the now enraged creature in it and handing it to the Man, Buck: "I have to get to the Defense Directorate and tell them what's going on." Man: "Do you want me to fire you?" He asks as Buck starts to run off. Buck stops in his tracks. Cont: "I thought as much." Buck, hopping a little for balance, takes off his left shoe. His heel is fully intact. Putting his shoe back on and noticing that his clothes are different from the clothes he was wearing back before he got separated from Wilma and Lodus, Buck: "Listen, I can't stick around, really." Man: "Then you're fired." Buck now continuing his run: "Yes, Doctor Huer." Man (confused): "What?" Cut to: ext: Defense Directorate: Buck at a run is about to enter the building. Cut to: int: Defense Directorate / Main Entrance: Shooting through the Phasoft-door, the Guard behind the desk surprised at seeing Buck, almost doesn't catch him in a grab of one shoulder before Buck can make it to the further interior of the building. Buck: "Let me go." Guard: "I can't, sorry sir but I can't let you in without signing in and knowing your business here so I can direct you where to go." Buck: "Cute. I need to see Doctor Huer." Guard: "Is he expecting you?" Buck: "I'm missing a joke here aren't I? (beat) Is this something Jade put you up to?" Guard: "No. (beat) Is Doctor Elias Huer expecting you?" Buck: "No, he thinks Wilma and I are on 36-TOG. Chuck, what's going on here?" Leading Buck over to the sign in desk, Guard: "Sir I need you to sign in before I call Doctor Huer over this matter." Buck: "You know my name, you don't have to call me sir." Finally letting go of Buck, Guard: "No sir, I don't know your name." The camera cuts in on Buck who is in shock at this. End Of Act Four. To be Continued ... Roll Credits.